My Mommy and Daddy
by portalkeeper
Summary: [Winner at Thwak Awards; Nominated at World's End] The world through a naive 8-year old's eyes. Set in 2012.
1. April 18, 2012

April 18, 2012

Today's my eighth birthday. Aunt Dawnie gave me this pretty little book with the pink and purple flowers on the cover. She said that she used to write diaries when she was little. I asked if she still had them and Aunt Dawnie got a funny look on her face. She said something about how she was silly and got rid of them.

It's weird how Auntie Dawn gets funny looks on her faces so much. Just like Mommy and Daddy and Uncle Xander and Aunt Willow do when I ask why we have so much cherry Kool-Aid in the fridge or why Mommy and Daddy go out at night or why Daddy always sleeps during the day.

It's a different look than when Aunt Anya's here and she says things about getting "happies." Why doesn't Mommy and everyone else want Aunt Anya to be happy?

I had a party today at the ice rink. Lots of my school friends came, but no boys except for Jesse, of course. They have cooties. 

We had ice cream cake and Mommy and Daddy gave me funny looks when Mommy said she was thirsty and Daddy said he was too and I asked Daddy where his Kool-Aid was. But then Jennie skinned her knee and she cried and then my party wasn't so fun anymore.

I'm tired and Mommy just said I have to go to bed now.


	2. April 20, 2012

April 20, 2012

I've almost forgotten about you! With school and everything, I really have been very busy. Aunt Dawnie asked me if I had written anything in her present yet today. That's how I remembered.

Anyway, Aunt Dawnie told me that most people start out by writing down stuff about their life and the people in it. Silly Aunt Dawnie. I'm not going to forget who I am! But I really like Aunt Dawnie, so I'll try it:

My name is Angela Joyce Summers. My mommy is Buffy Anne Summers and my daddy is William Summers. Aunt Dawnie said that "Summers" isn't actually his real last name, but she can be really silly sometimes. I mean, only mommies change their last names when they get married. Aunt Anya said that it was a "degrading chauvinistic practice." Whatever _that_ means.

I have a very big family. There's Aunt Dawnie, who's Mommy's sister. She's a doctor and she's living with us until she finds her own apartment. But I don't want her to move out so I'm glad she can't find another place to live. She's one of my bestest friends.

Then there's Aunt Willow, who is married to Uncle Xander. They're both Mommy's friends. When I asked Aunt Willow if they were Daddy's friends too, Uncle Xander snorted and said something about "soul-boy junior" and Aunt Willow jabbed him with her elbow and said yes. They have a boy my age, Jesse Harris. He's the most annoying boy I know, but that's okay. All boys are annoying. I like Aunt Willow. She bakes me chocolate chip cookies. Uncle Xander's okay, too, I guess, even if Daddy calls him an "annoying whelp" when he thinks no one's listening.

Then there's Gran-oops-Uncle Rupert. He doesn't like it when I call him Grandpa. He sometimes mutters that he's "not that bloody old." He's from England, just like Daddy, and he usually only comes over on the holidays or when Mommy and Daddy get really worried and yell at each other and Jesse comes over and Aunt Dawnie watches us and we watch videos the whole night. Mommy and Daddy always come home before morning looking beat-up and Aunt Willow, Uncle Xander, and Uncle Rupert is with them. He's really nice, but also gets funny looks a lot. And he likes to clean his glasses, especially when Aunt Anya's over on a rare visit. 

Then there's Aunt Anya. She only comes over once in a very long while now. Last time I saw her was when I was still seven. She stopped by while on business and only dropped in to say hi. I like her best of all, because she makes all the other adults give funny looks and she tells me cool stories about nice demons who grant wishes and do good, sort of like fairy godmothers. But once Mommy overheard and made her stop.

I think I have more aunts and uncles in LA. But they've never visited and we've never gone to see them.

I have to go eat dinner now. Uh-oh. I think it's Mommy's day to cook.


	3. April 21, 2012

April 21, 2012

Today a bad thing happened. I brought Jennie home with me after school and we snuck up into Aunt Dawnie's room to play dress-up. We locked the door just in case. I was under the bed looking for her sequined high-heels that she thinks Mommy doesn't know about when I pulled out a shoebox. But there were wooden sticks and bottles of water in it, not shoes.

Aunt Dawnie _is_ awfully weird. Even Mommy says so.

While I was playing with the sticks, Jennie was also looking for the shoes. She pulled a box off a high shelf in the closet, but it fell off. A second later Daddy was banging on the door.

"Daddy, it's just me and Jennie," I said loudly. I remember another time when I didn't say anything and Daddy broke the door down and Mommy got really mad and then she had to call Uncle Xander to fix it. 

"Open up, pet." He was talking in that no-nonsense tone like the time I dumped all his Kool-Aid into a punch bowl last Christmas and Uncle Rupert drank it and make funny faces.

I opened the door and Daddy looked really mad, but his hair was stuck up on one side so he looked funny, too.

"Give me the stake," he had said, dead serious. His voice scared me, all growly and deep. Then he sent Jennie home and made me stay in my room till dinner.

I can hear Daddy yelling at Aunt Dawnie downstairs:

__

"Bit, what were you thinking keeping stakes in your room? Don't you know how dangerous those things are? She could have hurt herself!"

"Spike, I said I was sorry. Besides, what was she doing in my room in the first place?"

Daddy's name was William. So why did Aunt Dawnie always call him "Spike" when she was upset?

__

"Platelet, I know they were only a couple of stakes. But now she'll wonder why her aunt has sharp, wooden objects hidden in her room. Buffy and I decided long ago to give our child as normal a life as possible."

"So are you never going to tell Angie why her father doesn't have a reflection or go out into the sun like other people? Why her parents always go out at night with weapons? Or why one night one or both of her parents won't come back from patrol?"

A pause.

"Sorry, Spike. I didn't mean it like that."

"'S al'right, Bit. I'll go start dinner."

And then the conversation stopped and I heard the stove being turned on and the fridge being opened. Aunt Dawnie's coming upstairs…


	4. April 22, 2012 Part 1

A/N: And now, an actual plot will be introduced. Thanx for the reviews!!

April 22, 2012

Yay! Aunt Dawnie had just started to yell at me yesterday when the phone rang. Daddy got the phone and we could hear him yell funny British words like "bloody hell" at the person on the other end. Aunt Dawnie got worried and forgot to yell at me. She went downstairs and talked quietly with Daddy until Mommy got home. No one remembered that I was in trouble by dinnertime.

After I got home from school today, Mommy asked me if I remembered hearing about Aunt Faith. I thought she died in a car accident a long time ago, before I was born, and I said so, but Mommy got really quiet and said she was back. I got really confused and asked if she meant that Aunt Faith never died, but Mommy just said she was alive. And she had that distant look in her eyes like when she looks at pictures of Grandma Joyce.

Daddy sent me upstairs to get ready for bed. Right now I'm waiting for him to come tell me a story. Daddy tells the best stories.

I'm at the door, listening to Mommy, Daddy, and Aunt Dawnie talking with Aunt Willow and Uncle Xander, who are also here. Mommy once said that listening to other people talk when they didn't know you were around was a great way to learn information. 

_"So the rumors that the First is back are true," Aunt Willow said hesitantly._

"Apparently so," Mommy replied. "Yesterday we got a call. From Faith."

"Faith? Isn't she dead?" Uncle Xander asked, sounding bewildered.

See? I knew Mommy wasn't telling the whole truth!

__

"Not anymore. Someone or something brought her back. She's with Angel and the LA gang right now," Mommy said, sounding grim. "They're coming tomorrow."

Uncle Angel? He was my Godfather, right?

__

"So the 'Slayer balance' is upset, or something," Aunt Dawnie added. "That's why there's been reports of Potentials being killed all around the world." She paused. "Again."

What was Aunt Dawnie talking about?

__

Uncle Xander chuckled. "So what now? One of you guys are gonna jump into the Hellmouth again?"

What's a "Hellmouth?"

I don't like their conversation. It just gets more and more confusing.

__

"Okay, guys. I called Giles; he'll be here soon. And Potentials should start showing up starting the next few days."

"Bloody hell," Daddy groaned. "Sharing the house with teenage hormonal bombs again. Giggling girls hogging the bathroom."

"Not like you need to use it," Mommy shot back.

"Um, guys? What are you going to tell Angie?" Aunt Dawnie asked.

A beat of silence.

"Visiting aunts. In a way, I guess they are. I mean, they're sort of related to me."

"In a never-met-them, never-heard-of-them, unrelated way?" Uncle Xander joked.

I frowned. His jokes weren't funny and they rarely made any sense.

__

"Spike, go check up on Angie. It's past her bedtime and you know she can't fall asleep without hearing one of your stories."

Uh-oh. I have to get back to bed before Daddy catches me.


	5. April 22, 2012 Part 2

A/N: All your questions will be answered, sooner or later. Thanx for the reviews!! (Keep on R/R-ing!)

April 22, 2012—later

Finally! I couldn't wait for Daddy to finish his story, so I could get back to you, diary, and write down all the interesting things. Daddy was telling me a story about one of his relatives who had stupid hair and had just gotten to the part where he was playing a game with two nuns when I remembered something from the earlier conversation.

__

"—and then the Magnificent Poof discovered that his bottle of hair gel had fallen out sometime during…his game of checkers with the two nuns. So he shrieks like a little girl and—"

"Daddy, who's Uncle Angel?" I interrupted. 

Daddy's mouth stayed halfway open. And one of those funny looks passed across his face. "Pet, where did you hear mention of Angel?" A pause. "Was your mum talking about him?"

Well, technically…"Yeah. But Daddy, Daddy, who is_ he?"_

"He's your namesake, luv." But now Daddy's voice sounded distinctively bitter. "And one of your mum's old…friends." Then he added sarcastically, "They used to play checkers."

"Oh." I cocked my head. "Why am I named after him? Do I look like him?"

"Bloody hell, no! My little girl looks nothing like that sodding ponce." Daddy clapped a hand to his mouth, too late. "Uh, right. You didn't hear me say that."

"Bloody hell," I repeated, giggling. "Bloody hell, bloody hell, bl—"

Daddy put his hand over my mouth. So cold, like ice cream. "Please don't say that, pet. Your mum wouldn't like it. She'd put a bloody stake through my chest."

I nodded, pretending to get what he was saying. "Okay, Daddy. Only if you tell me about Uncle Angel."

Daddy rolled his eyes. "Just like your mum. You not only look like mini-Buffy, you have to act like her too. Alright, pint-size Slayer, what do you want to know?"

"I'm not mini or pint-sized. And I'm different than Mommy 'cause Mommy says I have the prettiest blue eyes," I pouted, "and hers are hazel. And I'll grow taller than Mommy too, that's what Aunt Dawnie said."

Daddy smiled again and he ruffled my hair. "That's my girl."

Remembering that Daddy was trying to avoid talking about Uncle Angel, I narrowed my eyes. "Don't change the subject, Daddy. Who's Uncle Angel?"

Daddy sighed again. "Alright, alright. Angel's my grandsi—father_. Grandfather."_

I giggled. "Silly Daddy. Uncle Angel is my uncle_. He'd have to be your brother."_

Daddy was mumbling to himself. "Dru sired Darla, who had Connor, who is the Poof's son, which makes Dru the mini-Poof's so-called 'grandmother', which would make his dad my sort-of brother. Bloody twisted family I have." Aloud, he said, "yeah, pet. You were right."

I frowned. "Daddy, Who are all those people?"

"Who?"

"Darla and Dru and Connor?"

Daddy got very, very still. He looked even paler than usual.

"Pet, did you hear me talking to myself?"

I nodded. Daddy swallowed. "And can you hear us talking downstairs?"

I nodded again. Daddy got up slowly. "Goodnight, pet." He kissed me on the forehead and walked downstairs. 

Silly Daddy. He forgot to turn off the lights. And he didn't tell me who all those people were.

I don't wanna go to sleep 'cause I'm probably gonna have those dreams again. Usually they're alright, just Mommy fighting monsters. But sometimes they're scary and sad.

I don't want to fall asleep…


	6. April 23, 2012 Part 1

A/N: Dreams are from "Restless", "Normal Again", and "Never Leave Me".

April 23, 2012—Morning

I had a scary, weird dream. There was Mommy and she was fighting someone on a building, but it wasn't a monster.

It was a girl. She was taller than Mommy and had shoulder-length brown hair. A pretty lady. Then Mommy pulled out a shiny knife and stuck it in her. The girl stared back at Mommy, then fell over backwards, off the roof.

I woke up then and Mommy and Daddy were both here. Mommy asked me if it was a bad dream and I said yes. She asked me what it was about, so I told her. Then Mommy got a funny look on her face and asked me if I had had any other strange dreams like these before. 

I thought hard.

__

"I am not alone," Mommy said. She stood in a large field of sand. Maybe a big sandbox? No, probably the beach. There was a somewhat familiar blond lady in the background, like one of the people in the pictures on the walls. There was a scary-looking thing coming towards Mommy, wrapped in rags.

"The Slayer does not walk in this world," the blond lady said.

"I walk," Mommy replied. "I talk. I shop, I sneeze. I'm gonna be a fireman when the floods roll back. There's trees in the desert since you moved out. And I don't sleep on a bed of bones. Now give me back my friends!"

Meanwhile, the dirty thing wrapped in rags gets more and more agitated.

"No…friends! Just the kill," it growled. "We. Are. ALONE!"

Suddenly, in pops a bald man with two slices of cheese. He smiles widely and shakes the cheese at Mommy and she stares at him, then he disappears.

"That's it. I'm waking up," Mommy said, just as the thing ran up to her and tried to beat up Mommy. They fight and then Mommy stops. "It's over. We don't do this anymore."

But the scary thing doesn't listen and starts to fight Mommy again. And then Mommy yells real loud, "ENOUGH!"

***

__

Mommy is sitting in a chair, a funny look on her face. It's some type of office, and there are three other people in it. One of them I recognize as Grandma Joyce, but the other two are unfamiliar.

"—Possibilities for a full recovery, but we have to proceed cautiously. If we're not careful—" one of the strangers said. He was wearing a white coat.

"Wait," Grandma Joyce said. "Are you saying Buffy could be like she was before any of this happened?"

The strange man in the white coat walked over. "Mrs. Summers, you have to understand the severity of what's happened to your daughter. For the last six years, she's been in an undifferentiated type of schizophrenia." What did he mean?

"We know what her condition is," the other stranger said. He was a man, maybe a little older than Uncle Xander, with light brown hair. "That's not what we're asking."

"Buffy's delusions are multi-layered. She believes she's some type of hero."

"The Slayer," Grandma Joyce said.

***

Mommy and Daddy were in the basement. But Daddy was all chained up.

"Listen to me," Mommy said patiently. "You're not alive because of hate or pain. You're alive because I saw you change. Because I saw your penance." I didn't really understand what she was talking about, but it sounded wrong. Hate? Pain? Penance? As a living? She didn't sound like Mommy.

Daddy leaps up and looks like he's gonna attack Mommy. "Window dressing." He doesn't seem much like Daddy, either.

"Be easier, wouldn't it, it if were an act, but it's not. You faced the monster inside of you and you fought back. You risked everything to be a better man." What was Mommy talking about? A better man? But Daddy was the best.

"Buffy…" Daddy tried to say. But Mommy interrupts him.

"And you can be. You are. You may not see it, but I do. I do. I believe in you, Spike."

I nodded. I told Mommy I had some of these dreams before. When she asked me what they were, I told her that most of them were about her fighting monsters. She paused and asked me if I had any dreams of her doing other things. So I told Mommy about the one with the creepy thing in rags and the funny cheese man, the one with Grandma Joyce and the strangers, and the one with Mommy and Daddy in the basement.

Mommy looked at Daddy and Daddy looked at Mommy. Then Mommy said that we could discuss this tomorrow, which would be today. Soon as Mommy wakes up.

But it's a Saturday, which means Daddy will wake up around noon and make Mommy pancakes with strawberry syrup and make me chocolate pancakes with chocolate syrup. Then I go sit with Mommy in her bed and we eat pancakes. And _then_ Mommy gets up.

_Ding-DONG!_

Doorbell! Who's here this early in the morning?


	7. April 23, 2012 Part 2

A/N: Most of the parts in these chapters will be in italics, meaning they're happening in the present—not written in the diary, but occurring in "real" life.

April 23, 2012—Later

I went into Mommy and Daddy's room to wake them up. Mommy always said that I couldn't get the door and Aunt Dawnie would never let me play dress-up with her stuff if I woke her up on a weekend.

__

"Wake up, sleepyheads," I said, climbing onto Daddy. His hair was tangled and stuck up in funny places. He cracked open an eye.

"Go back to bed, pet," he murmured. "Let Mum and Dad sleep. Please."

"But Mommy, Daddy, someone's at the door!"

Sure enough, the doorbell rang again.

Ding-DONG!

Mommy rolled over. "Honey, you get it."

"No way, luv. Not this time. You want the bloody door, you get it."

Ding-DONG!

Mommy pouted. "Please, Spike?"

"No, Slayer."

Ding-DONG!

Mommy got a mischievous little grin on her face. She reached her arm underneath the covers. "Pretty please?"

Daddy yelped. "Buffy! That's cheating!" he said, then noticed me. "And not in front of Angie!"

Mommy smiled again. "The door, darling."

Daddy groaned. "Out, pet. Let Daddy get dressed."

Daddy finally got downstairs, his hair still a mess. And do daddies not have nighties? 'Cause that's sad. I'd give my pink flannel ones to Daddy if he needs them.

Only they might not fit.

_I followed Daddy downstairs. _

Ding—

Daddy threw on a blanket and cracked the door open. "Bloody hell, stop ringing the sodding bell already—"

He stopped and just stared out the door, mouth open. Someone pushed the door open and a cluster of people rushed in, one of them under a smoking blanket. I wrinkled my nose.

"Back again, Peaches?" Daddy growled at the tall man in the smoking blanket.

"Spike," the man sighed. "I don't have time for this. Where's Buffy?" I didn't like him. He was mean to Daddy. Plus…

"Smoking is bad," I announced. "My Mommy says so."

The entire crowd of people stared up at me.

"What a cute little girl. You must be Buffy's daughter," the tall man said stupidly, pulling off his blanket and tossing it into a corner. I hated it when people called me cute.

"Smoking is bad. And your hair is stupid."

The tall man's eyes narrowed. "And obviously Spike's as well."

A lady next to him laughed and punched him in the arm. Good. "Angel, quit it."

Angel_? Stupid hair…tall…broody-looking…"Uncle Angel?" I asked._

The big stupid man smiled again. "That's right. Did your mommy tell you about me?"

Daddy snorted.

"Nope. But Daddy tells me stories all the time, and you're in some of them," I replied.

Uncle Angel gave Daddy a sidelong look. "Is that right, William_? And just what types of stories does Buffy allow you to tell little girls?"_

"Angel." Mommy walked down the stairs, looking picture-perfect. "Cordelia, Wesley, Faith. How was the trip from LA?"

"Pretty normal," the one who had punched Uncle Angel earlier said. "And you have the cutest little girl!"

"Thanks, Cordy," Mommy replied, smiling at me. "Angie, that's your Uncle Angel. And that's Aunt Cordelia, Uncle Wesley, and Aunt Faith."

I stared at the pretty lady with dark hair.

"You were in my dream," I said in awe. "You're the pretty lady Mommy stabbed."

Aunt Faith got a funny look on her face. "Got the Slayer package from your Mom, huh, kid?"

I frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about, Aunt Faith. My mommy doesn't slay people."

She smiled crookedly and ruffled my hair. "Got that right. B's the good one."

Then Mommy woke up Aunt Dawnie and called over Aunt Willow and Uncle Xander, and made me stay upstairs with Aunt Dawnie while the grown-ups talked downstairs.

I asked Aunt Dawnie what all those people were doing in our house, but she just said not to worry about it. Then we played "Go Fish" for a while, but I got bored.

Aunt Dawnie promised to teach me a new game sometime, something called "Poker" that Daddy had taught her, a long time ago. But she said no kittens, which is too bad because I really wanted a kitty last year.


	8. April 24, 2012 Part 1

A/N: Sorry about the chapter formatting! I can't really do anything about that; it happens when Fanfiction.net hasn't completely rewired all the links on a new update. But if you want to read an "unlisted" chapter, all you have to do is go to any chapter of the story and change the address of your browser (=__) to the chapter you want to read.

And the dream sequences, some will just be Buffy & Spike scenes from the past, others will actually hold some relevance.

April 24, 2012—Early Morning

__

A big man in a dark street. He's biting a girl!

Mommy grabs him and tosses him off. Go, Mommy!

"Slayer," the man growls. His face! He's one of the monsters Mommy fights in my dreams, with glowing yellow eyes and a bumpy forehead. 

"Slayee," Mommy quips, then begins fighting him. She kicks him in the face and he tries to hit her but Mommy moves away. She tries to punch him, but he grabs her arm and throws her into a door. Poor Mommy! Where was Daddy? Shouldn't he be helping her?

Mommy gets up and ducks the next punch. The monster-man punches a big dent in the door. Mommy grabs him and holds his arm as Aunt Willow and Uncle Xander rush in.

"Get her out of here!" Mommy yells, gesturing to the poor girl who was attacked by the monster. Aunt Willow takes the girl away. Then Mommy punches the monster in the face, over and over. She's beginning to scare me. 

And where was Daddy when Mommy needed him?

"And a stake_ would be nice," Mommy yells to Uncle Xander. Uncle Xander runs away. Mommy keeps punching the man._

I see a guy in the shadows, behind the Dumpster! Someone's watching. Be careful, Mommy!

The monster Mommy was fighting suddenly breaks loose and punches Mommy in the face. Mommy falls and stares up at him.

"I don't need to wait for St. Vigeous. You're mine," the monster growls. Daddy, where are you?? Mommy's in trouble!

The monster leans over Mommy, and Daddy still doesn't appear to help Mommy. I'm getting worried; Daddy usually helps Mommy when she fights in my dreams.

Suddenly Mommy kicks the monster in the face. He moves backwards and Mommy jumps up again, ready to fight.

"Spike! Gimme a hand!" the monster yells. Spike? That's a puppy's name. Was the monster calling over his puppy?

Mommy glances towards the shadows, where I saw someone before. Then Uncle Xander runs up, panting.

"Buffy!" He tosses her a long, pointy wood stick, sort of like the ones in Aunt Dawnie's room. Mommy catches it and stabs the monster. He disintegrates and blows away into nothing. 

Clapping. Someone's clapping. Uncle Xander? No, not him. Not Aunt Willow either.

A man with white-blond hair in a long black trench coat steps out from the shadows. 

Daddy!

Mommy stares at him, looking confused. Uncle Xander and Aunt Willow also stare at him.

"Nice work, luv." Yep, definitely Daddy. It was his voice, and only Daddy ever called people "luv." But that doesn't explain why he wasn't helping Mommy earlier when she was fighting.

"Who are you?" Huh? This is Daddy! How can Mommy not recognize Daddy?

"You'll find out on Saturday," Daddy answered, a hint of a smile on his face.

"What happens on Saturday?" Your anniversary, of course, silly Mommy.

"I kill you."

I woke up from the scariest dream ever. There was Daddy, but he wasn't helping Mommy fight monsters, he said he's gonna kill her! On their anniversary, too.

Mommy said to try not to pay to much attention to these dreams, that they've already happened and everything's okay now. But I'm scared and a little confused. Why did Daddy say he was going to kill Mommy? Didn't Mommy and Daddy love each other?

I woke up Aunt Dawnie. She's sleepy and told me whatever I dreamed was just a dream, and to go back to sleep. 

I'm sleeping in Aunt Dawnie's room 'cause Aunt Cordy and Aunt Faith are sleeping in my room. I like Aunt Faith and Aunt Cordy, and I still don't understand why Mommy stabbed Aunt Faith.

Or why I once heard Mommy tell Aunt Dawnie that she was getting out of the house over Mommy's dead body if Aunt Dawnie thought she was going to the Bronze dressed like Aunt Faith.

Why would Aunt Dawnie want to walk over Mommy? And Mommy wasn't dead. Silly Mommy.

Plus, Aunt Dawnie looked very pretty in that dress. I think that was why Daddy also wouldn't let her wear it either when she begged him when Mommy was out.

Daddy! 

__

"Spike! Gimme a hand!" That's what the monster had said. _Spike_. 

Oh! It wasn't the name of a puppy. "Spike" was what Aunt Dawnie and Mommy sometimes called Daddy. What Uncle Angel called Daddy.

Daddy was Spike.

I don't understand what's going on, or why I keep getting strange dreams. But I'm scared. I want Daddy; I love Daddy.

But I don't know if he loves Mommy and me.


	9. April 24, 2012 Part 2

April 24, 2012

Daddy made me chocolate pancakes—my favorite. He doesn't understand why I won't talk to him.

Of course he wouldn't. Poor Daddy doesn't know about my dream. He doesn't know why I'm upset with him and I think that's made him very sad.

A knock on the door.

__

"Pet, are you alright?"

Daddy. 

"I'm going to come in now, okay?"

I didn't respond.

Daddy cracked open the door and came in, then shut it again. He sat down beside me. "Pet, are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

I frowned.

"What did I do now?" he asked, slightly joking.

"What happens on Saturday?" I asked.

Daddy furrowed his forehead. "What do you mean, pet? Saturday is me and your mum's anniversary. Don't know if we'll have much time to celebrate this year, but—"

"Daddy, that's not what you said." My lower lip trembled.

Daddy looked at me with concern. "Pet, what do you think I said?"

"You said you're gonna kill Mommy," I sobbed, burying my face against Daddy's chest. "You said you're gonna kill Mommy on Saturday. Why, Daddy? Why? Don't you love Mommy anymore?"

"Oh, sweetie." Daddy stroked my hair. "Did you have another dream again?"

I nodded. "You said you're gong to kill Mommy on Saturday," I accused.

Daddy wiped my tears away with a Kleenex, then held my chin up to look at him. "Angie, luv, there is nothing I love more in this world more than you and your mum. Don't ever doubt that."

I nodded, believing him. It was Daddy, after all. But still…"But—"

"No buts, pet. That dream—that was from the past. A long time ago, before I fell in love with your mother. I was different then. Literally a different person."

I was confused. "How can you be a different person? You're William Summers, my Daddy."

Daddy just smiled and ran his cool fingers down my cheek. "Only after I met your mum, pet. Only after her. Daddy…Daddy wasn't a very…nice_…person before your mother."_

I cocked my head and looked up at him. "Were you a naughty little boy?"

Daddy nodded.

"Did you have cooties too, just like Jesse?"

"I most certainly did not_ have cooties!" Daddy exclaimed, sounding wounded and a bit like Uncle Rupert for a moment. "I was from a respectable family, and we bathed quite often, contrary to what you might hear from the females in this household."_

I giggled. "You sound like Uncle Rupert."

Daddy looked mortified for a moment. "Bugger that. Wait a minute. Did you say Jesse has lice? Jesse as in Jesse Harris, Red and the whelp's kid?"

I giggled again. "Silly Daddy. All boys have cooties."

"Oh. Right." Now Daddy sounded embarrassed. Sometimes it was hard to tell if Daddy was embarrassed or not, 'cause he never blushed like Mommy does when Aunt Anya comes over.

"Pet, when did these dreams start?"

I thought hard. "I think around a week ago. Why, Daddy?"

He shook his head. "There's something strange going on here, that's all." He bent down to look me inn the eyes. "Now, listen very carefully, luv. From now on, you may see some strange things. Just know they aren't real, and that they can't touch you. Don't listen to what they tell you, okay? Just ignore them. But be sure to tell Mommy and Daddy if you see any strange…occurrences." 

I nodded. "Sure, Daddy."

I felt a lot better afterwards. I think I'll go downstairs and get Aunt Dawnie to make me a peanut-butter and salami sandwich. 

Later—

There was a strange man outside! He looked sorta familiar, like one of the people I had dreams about. But Daddy told me not to listen to strangers, so when he started to ask if this was Buffy and Dawn Summers' house, I ran inside and closed the door.

The man was old-looking, almost as old as Uncle Rupert, I guess. He was just about completely bald, and he was carrying a suitcase.

Mommy went out with the other people and Daddy's sleeping in the basement. Aunt Dawnie's upstairs listening to music in her room—not to be disturbed.

The man is ringing the doorbell and I'm in the living room. What should I do?

__

Ding-DONG!

"Pet, what are you doing?" A voice from behind me.

I jumped. "Daddy! Aren't you sleeping in the basement?" I went to give him a hug, but Daddy pulled back before I could touch him. 

"Now, now, Angie. Who's at the door?"

I was slightly confused. "I don't know, Daddy. It was a man, about Uncle Rupert's age. I think he was looking for Mommy and Aunt Dawnie. Should I get Aunt Dawnie?"

"No, pet. Why bother 'Aunt Dawnie' about such trivial matters as this? Why don't you go into the kitchen and get yourself some cookies and milk, write in that cute little diary, and let Daddy take care of it."

"Daddy!" I whined. "I can't reach the cookies."

Ding-DONG!

"Luv, what are you yammering about? Daddy's trying to sleep. And why hasn't Nibblet answered the door?" I turned around. Daddy! Another Daddy was coming up from the basement steps.

"Daddy?" I looked back at the living room. This Daddy smiled. I looked back at the basement door. "Why are there two of you?"

The Daddy at the basement door frowned suddenly. "What are you talking about? Oh, oh. Bloody hell. Angie, come over here. Don't listen to the other me. Just walk over here to Daddy."

Ding-DONG!

I hesitated, unsure of what to do. The Daddy at the basement door saw my hesitance and walked over, pulling me to him. He was cold and smelled like vanilla, Mommy's perfume. Yep, this was the real Daddy.

"Pet, where is it?" he asked.

"Well, well. William Summers. Look at the ponce you turned into. Even had a brat with the Slayer." Daddy suddenly snapped his head up and glared at the other Daddy, as if just seeing him.

"You can't control me anymore."

The fake Daddy just laughed. "Is that so? Care to test that theory?"

Daddy didn't say anything for a moment.

"Angie, get upstairs, don't come down. Get Dawn, tell her to call Buffy. Open the curtains upstairs and stay in the sunlight. Now, pet."

I nodded, very scared. "Okay, Daddy."


	10. April 25, 2012

April 25, 2012

Yesterday was a very confusing day. After Daddy told me to go upstairs and get Aunt Dawnie, I did what he said. Aunt Dawnie asked me what was wrong, so I told her about the two Daddies downstairs. She got really pale and asked me which one told me to get her. I told her it was the one that was cold and smelled like vanilla. So Aunt Dawnie called Mommy and told her something about the "first" something. First what? Baseman?

So we sat on Aunt Dawnie's bed, warmed by the sun, with the door locked. Aunt Dawnie had her shoebox out and gave me a pretty shiny necklace to put on. We tried to hear what Daddy was doing downstairs, but everything was quiet. Completely quiet, except for periodic ringing of the doorbell.

Aunt Dawnie asked me who was at the door and I said it was a grown-up man that I think I saw in a dream before. She asked me which dream, so I thought hard and realized it was the dream where Mommy was in an office with a man in a white coat and Grandma Joyce was with the man.

Aunt Dawnie looked surprised and got a funny look on her face. I asked her who he was and Aunt Dawnie said she wasn't sure. 

That was when the loud crashes came from downstairs, like the windows and doors were shattering. Both Aunt Dawnie and I jumped. There was the sound of stuff breaking and lots of people running.

Aunt Dawnie went to her closet and pulled out a shiny sword.

Then there was the sound of even more people running into the house. Someone began banging on the door and a piece of metal got imbedded part way in the wood. I shrieked and jumped behind Aunt Dawnie.

Then the piece of metal was pulled out again and there was the sound of punches and a really loud crack, then a thump on the carpet. Then I heard Aunt Faith's voice at the door, asking if we were okay. Aunt Dawnie responded and said thanks.

There were sounds of people fighting for the rest of the day. I was worried about Mommy and Daddy and everybody else downstairs, but Aunt Dawnie told me they were all going to be fine. We stayed up in that room the whole time, until almost lunchtime. Then Mommy was at the door, asking Aunt Dawnie to let her in.

Mommy looked really bloody and a total mess. She winced when I gave her a hug. Aunt Dawnie asked what happened and if everybody was okay, to which Mommy answered something about "Bringers" and that everybody would live.

I didn't really get it and asked Mommy if she saw the man outside the door. Mommy said there wasn't anybody outside by the time she got there, that the door wasn't really there either. Then I asked why there were two Daddies and Mommy got a funny look on her face and looked at Aunt Dawnie.

Aunt Dawnie asked if Spike was okay (there they go with that funny name again!) and Mommy said just fine, only a little shaken up. I repeated my question and Mommy just said it wasn't real, and that when either she, Daddy, Uncle Angel, or Aunt Faith said anything to me, to be sure to give them a hug or touch them in some way first.

Weird.

Then I said I wanted to see Daddy, but Mommy hesitated and said Daddy needed to work out some issues and was in the basement.

Right. I might be in 3rd grade, but I'm not stupid. Weird things are going on here, and I'm going to find out the truth.

Then there was that weird dream last night.

__

Aunt Anya sneaks into a dark room with drawn shades. She's holding a wooden stick. And Daddy's asleep in a bed. Wait a second…Daddy's not sleeping. He's not even breathing.

Aunt Anya flips through the drawers, looking for stuff. Then she finds Daddy's pants and his shirt, and looks in the pockets. Aunt Anya, there's something wrong with Daddy! And why are you looking through his stuff?

Suddenly Daddy rolls over and grabs Aunt Anya. She freezes.

"Anya, do be specific and tell a fellow just exactly what you're doing here," Daddy says.

"Well, Spike... I'm here, obviously... for...um...sex." Yep, that's the Aunt Anya I know and love.

Daddy looks embarrassed, pulls away. "Uh, beg pardon."

__

Aunt Anya holds the stick up. "You and me. Here and now. Let's go. Let's... get it on, you big bad boy." Eww…

  
"_Wait, wait, Anya. Just a minute. This is not exactly—is that a stake?"_

  
_"Yes. Kinky." She puts the stick down. Huh?_

__

"Uh, well, yeah, but what do you—"

"Shh," Aunt Anya says, putting her fingers on Daddy's lips. Eww. "No questions. No talking. I can't help it. I can't stop thinking about you and us and our brief but unforgettable time together. I mean, it's—why else would I be here? I mean, it's not like I'm snooping around looking for proof that you're some sort of wacked out serial killer." She laughs nervously. "I don't know why I said that. Forget I said that. It's craziness talking. It's just nerves. Nerves. Nerves and—and horniness. Oh, just shut up, William, and take me. Take me now." She breathes hard. 

Mommy's gonna have a cow.

__

Aunt Anya slowly inches closer and closer to Daddy while she talks. She leans over his chest, and kisses his neck. 

Daddy's backing up the whole time, away from strange Aunt Anya, but he reaches the wall and can't back up further. Now he just lies there, trying to stay away from her. 

Aunt Anya notices Daddy isn't doing anything and finally pulls away. 

Daddy sighs. "Anya."

"Hmm?"

__

"It's not that I'm not tempted. Obviously, if things were different, you're a ripe catch." What?

  
"_I got it. No problem, I understand." A pause. "You think I'm fat."_

"What?" Poor Daddy is all confused.

__

"Well, it's either that or the haircut."

"Ridiculous. The do's quite fetching," Daddy says, sounding a little nervous.

__

"Oh, right. Now_ you like the haircut."_

__

"Love it."

__

"Sure, as a friend."

__

"Anya…"

__

"You know, you were a lot more fun when you didn't have a soul." What was she talking about?

"Oh, come on. Now, I've just explained to you—"

__

"All I'm saying is soulless Spike would have had me upside down and half way to happy land by now."

A pause.

__

"I need my pants."

Eww. I woke up feeling a little grossed out. Okay, a little more than a little.

And what was up with Aunt Anya talking about Daddy's soul?

And in the beginning, when Daddy was sleeping, he wasn't breathing.

I'm scared. Mommy won't let me see Daddy and everyone in this house is nervous and jumpy.

And I want my chocolate pancakes.


	11. April 26, 2012

A/N: This is going along with the idea that the First drove Spike nuts in S7. Just go with it.

April 26, 2012

I woke up this morning with a line from a song in my head, sung by a lady. But I couldn't remember either the tune, the words, or the dream I had. I just know it was a sweet song in a depressing dream and made me really upset.

The strange man's at our house, the one from two days before. He showed up again, and this time Mommy answered the door.

I was playing with Aunt Dawnie and Jesse in the living room when I heard Mommy drop the ax she was polishing.

I heard her whisper, "Dad."

Right now all Mommy and Daddy's friends are at Aunt Willow and Uncle Xander's house. Aunt Dawnie and Mommy are talking with the man downstairs.

__

"Buffy, who were all those people?"

"My friends, Dad. They were just friends. Coffee?"

"Thanks. Well, how've you been, girls?"

"We've survived," Aunt Dawnie said defensively. "Without you or Mom, we still managed to survive."

There was a pause.

"I see," the man replied awkwardly. "Well, what are you two doing these days? Buffy, why did you have an ax?"

"I was, uh, polishing it. I'm, um, a—a collector. Of weaponry."

"I'm a med. student," Aunt Dawnie cut in, before Mommy could continue her babbling. "Buffy is a school counselor, and collecting artifacts is one of her hobbies. Right Buffy?"

"I see." A pause. "Are any of you in a relationship? Do you have boyfriends I should know about?"

I could almost hear Mommy squirm. "Well, a lot's happened since your last visit," Aunt Dawnie said.

"I'm married," Mommy blurted out. "I got married about nine years ago, Dad."

I swear I heard him choke. Serves him right. I think this man is Mommy's daddy, Grandpa Hank, who hasn't visited her in something like 15 years. He's been a bad Daddy.

__

"Well, whose the lucky guy?" Grandpa Hank asked. "Where is he? I'd like to meet the man who stole my eldest's heart." But Daddy was in the basement. And Mommy said that no one can go down there except her.

"Um, well…"

"His name is William," Aunt Dawnie answered. "And right now he's…out. Business trip."

"I see. And what does William do for a living?"

"He writes," Mommy answered. "Yeah. William's a writer."

"A writer who goes on business trips?"

"Well, he's not just_ a writer. I mean, he does other things." Now Mommy was definitely babbling._

"Angie, hey Angie, come downstairs," Aunt Dawnie yelled. "Here's someone for you to meet."

Oh great.

__

"Well, aren't you the sweetest little girl. You look just like Buffy did when she was young," Grandpa Hank said with a smile. "C'mere, you little angel."

A door slammed with a bang. "Not Angelus, mate."

Daddy! He looked funny, even paler than usual, an almost blank look in his eyes. He just stood there, not moving an inch, staring at Grandpa Hank.

Grandpa Hank got nervous.

"Buffy, who-who is this man?" he asked, getting up and backing a few steps.

"William, William! William, listen to me." Mommy was talking, but Daddy wasn't paying attention. "William, that man over there is my father. Now, I want you to turn around and walk back downstairs to the basement. I'll bring your bl—your meal in a few minutes."

Daddy still didn't respond, except to narrow his eyes at Grandpa Hank.

"William!" No response. "Spike_!" Daddy jerked and blinked at Mommy. "I'm sorry, luv. Wh-what happened?" He hesitated. "Did I hurt anyone?"_

Mommy shook her head. "No, no. Everything's fine, Spike. Go back downstairs. I'll be a minute."

After Daddy left, Grandpa Hank could start talking again. "Who the hell was that?" he yelled. "He's loony, completely psycho! What are you doing keeping nuts in the basement? Did you see the way he stared at me?"

"Dad! Calm down and don't use words like that around Angie!" Aunt Dawnie yelled back.

Grandpa Hank sat down heavily and looked from her to Mommy. "What the he—what happened? Who was that cadaverous man?"

Mommy grimaced. "That's William, Dad. My husband."

That's when Aunt Dawnie took me upstairs. I still heard the yelling in the living room.


	12. April 27, 2012

April 27, 2012

Daddy's much better, almost acting like Daddy again. He stopped talking to himself this morning.

I don't think he likes Grandpa Hank very much, though. And I don't think Grandpa Hank likes Daddy, either. Grandpa Hank asked me yesterday if Daddy was always this crazy, and I said that Daddy wasn't crazy at all.

I don't think I like Grandpa Hank. He's too suspicious of Daddy.

Besides, he tried to get me to play _Life_ with him. But I don't like _Life_. Aunt Anya always wins. He wanted to play Monopoly, but that's _such_ a boring game. So finally I left him reading the paper in the middle of the living room and went to get Daddy some Kool-Aid.

Mommy said Daddy needed to drink his Kool-Aid.

Grandpa Hank asked me what I was doing heating Daddy's mug in the microwave, so I told him I was heating up the Kool-Aid, just the way Daddy liked it. Grandpa Hank got a funny look on his face and muttered something about "nuts" and left the room.

If he thinks that was weird, I'm really glad Grandpa Hank didn't stay around to see me add hot chocolate mix and little marshmallows to the warm Kool-Aid.

Daddy liked it a lot. He said it was even better than Wheatabix.

Right now, I'm pretending to be napping in my room. Aunt Dawnie had to do something for her job and Mommy went grocery shopping. Daddy and Grandpa Hank are talking downstairs.

__

"William, was it?"

"Er, yeah. That's me. William."

"So, do you usually stay in the basement?"

A pause.

"Not always, generally just during the day."

"Ah. Say, William, where were you born?"

"London."

"Oh, that's where the accent came from. Say, is there a trend of mental problems in your family?"

Daddy growled. "What kind of question is that, Hank?"

"Oh, you know, just asking around. Just want to know a little of your background, William."

"Well, all right then." I could practically hear the smirk in Daddy's voice. "My first family was pretty ordinary. But my second one…well, my sire—mother, I meant, was stark raving mad. The stars and moon would talk to her all day."

"Your-your second_ family?"_

"Oh yeah. I got adopted when I was young. Tried to take Mother with me; didn't work." Daddy faltered a little. "Anyway, really lively family. We moved throughout Europe, then we lost Grandpa in Romania."

"I'm sorry." Even to my eight-year-old ears he didn't sound sincere.

"'S alright. He was a tyrannical ol' wanker. Great-grandmum kicked him out, actually, 'cause he turned into a great big poof."

"Oh."

"Then we gradually moved to China and met up with the Poof again. He tried to get in Great-grandmum's good graces. Didn't work." He paused. "That was where I met my first."

"Your first? Girlfriend?"

"Something like that, yeah. Loved her in that moment when we joined and I claimed her. That was Heaven. But she was only a pale shadow of Buffy."

"What was her name?"

"Didn't ask, don't know."

"Well, what happened then? When did you break it off with the Chinese girl?"

"Broke up with her that very night. It was a one-time thing. After that, Darla—Great-grandmum, that is—left us. So it was just me and my surrogate 'mum'. We traveled around a bit, then came to the States not too long ago. I met my second in New York City."

"A one-night stand?"

"Oh, no, not at all. We danced for weeks. In parks, alleys, everywhere. I didn't know she had a son."

"Is that why you broke up with her?"

"Oh no. Didn't know little Robin existed until very recently. But this girl, she was hot. We 'broke up' in a subway car."

"Did you catch her name?"

"Yeah. Nikki. She had Buffy's style. Different from the Chinese girl."

"I see. And is Buffy your third?"

Daddy laughed. "Once upon a time, I wished she would have been. But I gave up on trying to increase my number to three after falling in love with her. She's something special."

"Yes, Buffy is definitely a very special girl. Tell me, William, what types of stories do you write?"

"Stories_?! Is _that_ what she said I did for a living?"_

"You mean you aren't a writer?"

"Oh, uh, no. No bloody way. Once a long time ago, I wanted to be a sissy poet. But I got over that soon enough. Buffy was just joking."

"So, what do_ you do for a living? William, I'm finding myself quite interested in you."_

"Well, I…I help Buffy out with patr— around the house, I mean. And I teach night classes at UC Sunnydale during the fall semester."

"I see. Well, William, you don't seem to get out a lot during the day. I must say, you're remarkably pale, considering the fact that we're in Southern California."

"It runs in the family," Daddy replied.

The front door opened. Mommy was back!

I hope she got me chocolate popsicles! I better get to them first; Daddy sometimes steals them to put into his Kool-Aid.


	13. April 28, 2012

A/N: Sorry if the plot isn't very clear, or if the language is a little too complicated at times. I'm writing these past chapters while I'm supposed to by typing a literary essay for Edgar Allan Poe, so I get a little…confused. Anyway, a plot rehash:

Angie gets diary.

Angie gets enhanced vampiric hearing and "Slayer dreams". There's a pattern of what she dreams and what happens, as if Angie's dreams are in fact prophetic. For example, Faith showed up in Sunnydale after she dreamt about her.

The First shows up again, apparently because Faith was resurrected by an unknown person. This is based on the assumption that Faith sacrificed herself to close the Hellmouth at the end of Season 7 (gleaned from spoilers). I don't know if that's the way it'll work, but that's how it's written.

Angel, Faith, and Cordy show up. Don't worry about the rest of the Angel Investigations crew; their time is coming.

Angie finds out some stuff about her father in her dreams, which leads to much awkward questioning.

Hank Summers randomly decides to show up, adds a little more spice to 1630 Revello Drive.

First Evil impersonates Spike. 

The First drives Spike over the edge by means as of yet unknown; Bringers attack.

Spike becomes less nutty, has a little "heart-to-heart" with Hank (a chance for Angie to learn some family history).

You make the connection between all this stuff (read or re-read all chapters for more detail). And don't worry, everything will come into the light soon.

I pretty much have an ending in mind. And a definite sequel, for when Angie is older. BTW, how old do you think she should be in the sequel?

April 28, 2012

I love Aunt Dawnie's present. This is the first time I've ever had a diary. And when I don't write in it, I look at the cover.

It's a really pretty cover, smooth and white, with little purple and pink flowers on it. It's too bad that no one else can see it. Mommy told me the very day I got it that I have to keep it hidden from everybody, even Aunt Dawnie.

Mommy said diaries must be private, and that I must write down all the stuff that goes on every day in it. I've been good so far and followed her advice. I hope that means Santa will get me the Barbie space shuttle for Christmas. Before last year, I didn't believe in Santa Claus. But Aunt Anya told me he was real, and that he was an old friend of hers.

Anyway, nothing really happened today. Mommy was out all day at Aunt Willow and Uncle Xander's house, doing grown-up stuff with Uncle Angel, Aunt Faith, and Aunt Cordy. But when Grandpa Hank asked and I said that Mommy was doing grown-up stuff with Uncle Angel, Daddy growled and said no she wasn't. 

It's funny how Daddy gets when I mention Uncle Angel.

Aunt Dawnie is at the Bronze with her "friend who happens to be a boy". When Daddy asked her where she was going, Aunt Dawnie said it was to hang with some friends. But I think she has a _boyfriend_.

Eww. Cooties, cooties, cooties!

Grandpa Hank is watching a stupid game show on TV. They're so boring. 

It's Thursday already—and Spring Break is almost over! Soon I'll have to go back to school. At least then I'll be able to play with Jennie, Amber, Sarah, and everybody.

Time for Daddy to tuck me in. Nighty-night.


	14. April 29, 2012

April 29, 2012

Lots and lots of people showed up at our house today, including Uncle Rupert. He had a lot of big girls with him, and I don't think some of them spoke English. Mommy talked with him and sent them all to Aunt Willow's house.

Grandpa Hank was in the middle of talking to Mommy when everybody showed up. But when Grandpa Hank asked her who was at the door, Mommy said it was a group of people selling Girl Scout cookies.

Mommy lies to Grandpa Hank a lot.

I think Grandpa Hank finally caught onto it, 'cause he said he _had_ to have a "talk" with her in the kitchen. Supposedly alone.

I could hear them from upstairs.

__

"Buffy, I don't think you're telling me everything."

"Well, Dad, you haven't really been around much for half my life." Uh-oh. Mommy wasn't in a good mood.

"Buffy, I already apologized. I was kept away by…by extenuating circumstances."

"Oh yeah, and did those 'extenuating circumstances' elope with you to Spain? Were those 'extenuating circumstances' half your own daughter's age? Did you—"

What did "extenuating circumstances" mean?

"Buffy, please. I'm trying to talk to you about William."

"Oh, so now you've got a problem with my husband?" Mommy sounded like she was ready to blow up.

"No, no, nothing like that. It's just…he doesn't seem to be very…stable."

"Is this about the slight mental lapse the other day? 'Cause that was just a fluke, really. Um, he-he was trying out some new medication, and it had a weird effect. Not that William uses any medication. Or needs any. It's just—"

"Honey, you're babbling."

"Oh, right. I'll stop." Mommy laughed nervously. "Hey, wait a minute, mister. I was mad at you."

Grandpa Hank was smart and ignored her. "Honey, I had a talk with him the other day. I think William had a very…disturbed_…family life."_

Mommy burst out laughing, then quickly sobered. "If he mentioned anything about me dating a certain relation of his, that guy's gonna be meeting the sharp end of Mr. Pointy."

"Huh?"

"Oh, nothing. Go on."

"Well, he talked about multiple families and various members being…'kicked out'. And…and it almost sounds, from the way he speaks, as if his family had a rather…incestuous relationship." Now Grandpa Hank sounded extremely embarrassed.

What was "incestuous"?

Mommy laughed again. "Well, yeah. I mean, no. No way, absolutely not. Oh, William's so hilarious. His family's just fine."

"All right, if you say so, Buffy. But I just don't think William is capable of forming a steady relationship. According to him, he's only had two relationships before you, and one was a one-night stand while the other lasted just a few weeks."

"Huh?" Now it was Mommy's turn to be baffled. "What are you talking about?"

"You know, the one-time Chinese girl who he didn't even know the name of and the other one who had a baby, Nikki. Didn't he tell you?"

"Chinese girl? Nikki…oh! Oh, right, of course he did. Really, Dad, those weren't really…loving…relationships. Those two weren't his girlfriends—"

"—That's not what William said," Grandpa Hank interrupted.

"Right…which is true. 'Cause you know, they were just puppy-love relationships, nothing solid. No dates or anything. William's had other girlfriends. Real girlfriends, with whom he established very, very long relationships. Dad, really, I know everything there is to know about my husband, and I'm fine with all of it. Well, not all of it. But I like the way he's turned out in the end. Dad, I love the man he's become."

That's sweet, Mommy.

I'm feeling sleepy, but I need to finish writing.

__

Knock-knock.

"Hey, Angie, asleep yet?"

"Not yet, Aunt Dawnie."

Aunt Dawnie opened the door, saw the diary open on my lap. She smiled.

"Glad to see you're writing so faithfully in that."

I quickly closed it, put it behind my back.

Aunt Dawnie frowned and pouted. "What are you doing? Writing things I shouldn't know about, sweetie?"

"Mommy says I have to hide it."

"Did she now. But come on Angie, I'm the person that gave you the diary. I've seen it before, kitty cover and all."

I shook my head. "No kitties, Aunt Dawnie. Flowers on the cover."

Aunt Dawnie's frown deepened. "What are you talking about? The cover is pink plush, with a cat in the middle. I bought it because you liked kittens."

I shook my head again. "No it's not. See?" I pulled the small book out and showed her the cover. "It's got a shiny white cover and lots of little pink and purple flowers on it."

Aunt Dawnie stared at it for a long moment. "Angie, where did you get that?"

"From you, Aunt Dawnie."

She narrowed her eyes. "May I see it?"

I shook my head, grabbed the diary possessively to my chest. "No, no, no. Mommy said it's private."

Aunt Dawnie didn't say anything for a while. "Angie, when did you start getting those vivid dreams again?"

"About ten days ago, Aunt Dawnie."

Aunt Dawnie swallowed. "It's late now. Your parents just went out, so I guess this will have to wait until morning. Angie, can I have the diary, just for safekeeping?"

I shook my head. "No, no, no, no, no!"

Aunt Dawnie sighed. "All right. Keep it for now. But promise me you won't write in it?"

I shook my head. "Mommy says I have to write in it every day."

Aunt Dawnie was getting frustrated. "Angie, please. Until tomorrow. Please? We'll work it out from there."

I nodded reluctantly. "All right, Aunt Dawnie. But only because I love you." I gave her a sticky kiss on the cheek. "I still haven't finished writing yet, but I guess I can skip one night."


	15. April 30, 2012 Part 1

A/N: Not many chapters left. And this one is long and pretty fast-paced. Everything's tying together, all the loose ends are starting to get wrapped up.

April 30, 2012 (Kitty Diary)—Afternoon

Mommy and Daddy took my diary away. Then Aunt Dawnie found her _real_ prezzie in the downstairs closet. I don't understand what was wrong with the other diary, or who gave it to me. But Mommy says this way I won't get any more weird dreams.

That's not true. 

I had a really scary one last night.

__

Mommy's staring at Aunt Dawnie. Aunt Dawnie looks much, much younger, like one of the big girls with Uncle Giles yesterday. They're all alone.

Somewhere close, lighting crackles against a dark sky, opening holes in the air.

Mommy frowns and slowly turns around. There's a wire platform, sort of like a balcony without any supports. Way in the distance, the sun's about to rise and the dark sky brightens.

Mommy looks so…happy. Like everything's all right.

She turns back to Aunt Dawnie. Aunt Dawnie looks horrified. "Buffy…no!"

__

"Dawnie, I have to."

"No!"

__

"Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time. Listen." Mommy sounds so calm, so peaceful. Why is Aunt Dawnie crying? Can't she see Mommy's happy? Can't Aunt Dawnie be happy for Mommy?

"I love you. I will always_ love you. But this is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles ... tell Giles I figured it out. And—and I'm okay."_

Aunt Dawnie is still crying. Mommy's holding onto her arms, continuing to talk calmly.

"And give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other. You have to be strong. Dawn, the hardest thing in this world ... is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me."

Mommy strokes Aunt Dawnie's face, then kisses her cheek. And Aunt Dawnie's still crying.

Mommy turns away and runs down to the edge of the platform. Be careful, Mommy. There's no railing!

Mommy dives off the platform, the same way she dives off the diving board at the pool. But Mommy doesn't hit the ground. She's trapped in the middle of the air and purple lightning streaks across her face.

Mommy's in pain. Daddy, help Mommy!

The lightning and holes in the air disappear. And the sun rises. But where's Mommy? Is she okay?

In the rubble, lots of people start to walk together, looking at something. There's Aunt Willow, with a pretty lady I've only seen in pictures. Uncle Rupert is walking up too, and so is Uncle Xander, carrying Aunt Anya. They're all staring at something on the ground.

But where's Mommy and Daddy?

Mommy. They're all looking at my mommy. But Mommy isn't looking back. She's sleeping. Mommy, wake up! You're going to worry everybody.

Wake up, Mommy. Please.

Daddy's coming out of the shadows. He sees her too and tries to get closer, but the sunlight forces him back. Daddy, your face is all bloody!

Look, Mommy, everyone's here, waiting for you. Even Daddy.

Mommy, wake up! Why won't you wake up?

Aunt Willow and the pretty lady are crying. Aunt Anya and Uncle Xander are both sad, too. Then Uncle Rupert begins to cry.

And Daddy's crying, too. Daddy never cried.

Aunt Dawnie comes down the stairs and she's also crying.

Everybody is looking at Mommy, and everybody is crying.

I don't like that dream at all. But I didn't tell anyone about it because I didn't want Mommy and Daddy to get worried again.

Which reminds me of something else. This morning, Grandpa Hank left for LA. After seeing him off, Mommy called Aunt Willow and then they got into the living room, all alone, without anybody else. They're still there. I'm supposed to be napping, but I'm not sleepy.

Actually, I _am_ sleepy. I just don't want to have any scary and confusing dreams. I'm in Mommy and Daddy's room right now, writing on the big bed. Daddy's taking a nap right next to me.

He's funny when he's asleep. I wonder if all Daddies don't breathe when they're asleep. I've seen Uncle Angel fall asleep once, and he wasn't breathing either. But then again, I haven't caught Uncle Xander asleep long enough for me to tell.

But looking at Daddy reminds me of my dream again, where Mommy was as still as he is now. And Mommy certainly breathes when she's asleep. 

Daddy isn't moving at all. I think I'll—

__

I poked Daddy's nose, which I've always wanted to do for a long time. The tip was cold, but not wet, unlike Jesse's new dog, Spike. Uncle Xander had named Jesse's little Yorkshire terrier Spike. Wasn't that what Mommy and Aunt Dawnie sometimes called Daddy? I giggled and poked it again.

A blue eye opened and Daddy growled. Just like Spike the doggie sometimes did, when someone bothered him and he was too lazy to do anything but lie out in the sun.

"Lay off on the nose, pet."

I giggled again. "Daddy, your nose is so much like Spike's. Just not wet."

Daddy sat up and looked at me with a funny expression. "Who are you talking about, Angie?"

"Spike, duh. Jesse's puppy. You should see him. He's really short, even for a terrier. And he stays out in the sun for so long that his fur is almost white. And he growls just like you, Daddy."

Daddy narrowed his eyes. "The whelp named his kid's dog 'Spike'? Remind me to get you a whimpering little rat next time we go to the pet store."

"But Daddy, I don't want a rat. I want a kitty."

Daddy shrugged. "Maybe we'll get both a kitten and a rat. And we can name the rat 'Whelp' before feeding it to your kitten."

"Eww, Daddy, you're so gross."

"Hello. Am I intruding on anything?"

Daddy jumped up. "Anya. Long time no see. What made you decide to pop in?"

I narrowed my eyes and pouted.

"Heard some old friends were in town. Aw, what's the matter, sweetie? Aren't you glad to see me?"

I pouted some more. "Are you going to try and have sex with Daddy again? 'Cause Mommy wouldn't like it, especially being her anniversary with Daddy and all, and she just might beat you up."

"Angie!" Daddy was shocked. "What—"

"Oh, yay! Finally, I meet a couple who has decided to teach their child about the miracle of life at a young age. But really, Angie, your father and I are over. No more sex for us. Not that it's not a temptation, 'cause it is. Mmm. Just look at those smooth white abs—"

"ANYA!" Daddy quickly buttoned his shirt all the way up to the collar. "Now, Angie, where did you learn about that?"

I pouted. "It's not my fault, Daddy. I had a dream and you were asleep and Aunt Anya was sneaking around your room. And then she said she wanted to have sex with you, and then she crawled all over you the way Mommy does sometimes, only you weren't making those funny noises—"

"Thanks, pet. That's probably enough. Angie, nothing happened...that time. Or will happen in the future. Ever. Now, Anya, please, knock before coming in; don't just appear, and especially not in a bloke's bedroom!"

"Fine, Spike. Don't you like my new haircut?"

"Anya." Daddy sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Buffy and Red are downstairs, doing some mojo to get help with the First. And there's a diary of some sort that Angie got for her birthday. Been doing funny things, making her get Slayer dreams."

"Ooh, a diary? Where?"

Daddy pulled out my little book from a drawer. "Right here."

Aunt Anya's face paled. "O-oh. Oh. That diary. Right. You know, I think I'll go see what Buffy and—" She turned to go.

Daddy grabbed her wrist. "Anya. What aren't you telling me?"

Aunt Anya swallowed, looked around nervously. "N-nothing."

Daddy gave her a look. "Angie, be a dear and go get your mum."

Confused and puzzled, I went downstairs. Opening the door, I saw Mommy and Aunt Willow sitting on the ground, facing each other with eyes closed. 

I didn't really want to disturb them, but Daddy said I needed to get Mommy.

__

Ding-DONG! Ding-DONG!

Mommy and Aunt Willow both jerked. Aunt Willow got up quickly and went to the door.

Uncle Rupert! And Uncle Xander! They were both covered in blood, panting heavily.

"Giles! Xander! Are you all right? What happened and where are the others?" Aunt Willow let them in and they both collapsed on the couch.

Uncle Xander grimaced. "We're fine. Blood's not ours. Bringers. Destroyed the house. Sorry, Wills."

"Oh Goddess! Is anyone hurt? Is Jesse okay?"

Uncle Rupert looked at Uncle Xander. "Jesse's fine, Willow. He's with Cordelia and Angel. Faith has…Faith has disappeared. I fear she has been taken by the Bringers."

"What about the others? The Potentials?"

Uncle Rupert took off his battered glasses and cleaned them furiously with a clean corner of his shirt. Uncle Xander looked down. "They're dead, Wills. All gone."

Aunt Willow sat down hard, next to him. "Oh."

No one spoke for a long time. Then…

"Buffy, Red? What's with all the fresh blood I'm smelling?" Daddy came downstairs, pulling along a sulky Aunt Anya.

"The-the Potentials. Those girls. They're all…gone."

Daddy stared at Uncle Xander as if he had sprouted another head. "W-what?"

Aunt Anya just sulked. "Well, duh. Of course they're dead. Then the First will come after Buffy, then Faith. The Bringers probably have Faith holed up somewhere, ready to be killed the moment Buffy kicks the bucket."

Uncle Rupert furrowed his brows. "Anya, do you know something?"

"Well, yeah. Demon, remember? I do know some things."

"Like?"

"Like-like…" Aunt Anya glared at Daddy. "Like how your precious little girl already knows how this will all end up."

What? I don't know anything.

Daddy made me go upstairs while the grown-ups talked.


	16. April 30, 2012 Part 2

A/N: Sorry about the delay. But the long weekend's over and school…urgh. Might not get the next one out for a few days. There's just one more chapter, maybe an epilogue. And the sequel's coming up!

April 30, 2012 (Kitty Diary)—Later

I can still hear them talking about me downstairs. I didn't understand most of it, just that the diary was evil and that Aunt Anya thinks it "triggered" my dreams.

So the weird dreams about Mommy were because of the diary? 

And then Aunt Anya reminded them that I should still be getting those weird dreams even after the diary was taken away.

__

"Angie didn't say anything, if she really did have another dream," Daddy defended.

"Well, of course she wouldn't," Aunt Anya snapped. "She's just a child."

I heard Daddy start to growl, but then Aunt Dawnie stopped him. "Spike! This is serious. We don't have time to fool around. The Potentials are dead. Faith is missing. And Buffy's next. Now everyone shut up and think_! Willow, do you know any spells to track Faith, maybe find out where they took her? Everyone else, start researching for ways we can hurt the First, something that we haven't thought of before."_

"Wow, Dawnster. Much more on the assertiveness," Uncle Xander commented

Aunt Dawnie ignored him. "Willow, what's up with Buffy? Why is she in a trance?"

"We were trying to tap into something, a power source that might help the upcoming battle," Aunt Willow explained. "I don't know why she's still like that. But I'm sure she's fine."

"Red, she better be peachy keen."

Mommy? Something was wrong with Mommy?

__

I ran downstairs, looking at the weirdness in the living room. Uncle Xander and Uncle Giles were sitting on the couch. Aunt Anya was pouting on the other one. Daddy was leaning against the wall. Aunt Willow was standing by Uncle Xander, saying funny-sounding made-up words. And Aunt Dawnie was pacing around in the middle of the floor.

And Mommy? Mommy was sitting cross-legged, with her eyes closed, in the middle of everything. And everyone was staring at her.

"I can't. It-it's not working," Aunt Willow said, sounding disappointed. "I can't locate Faith. The First…there's just too much interference."

The grown-ups started talking again.

"Mommy?" I asked quietly.

Mommy opened her eyes. Golden eyes! She stood up, her face blank, and everyone stopped talking and just stared at her.

"Mommy?"

Mommy snapped her head and stared with those eerie, golden eyes. She took a step.

"Buffy—" Mommy thrust her hands outwards, and all the grown-ups were thrown back against the walls. They couldn't get away from the walls.

"Mommy?"

She stopped a foot away and kneeled on one leg, slowly, so that she could look at me in the face.

"Mommy? You're eyes are funny."

"We must defeat the First." It was Mommy's voice, but not just Mommy talking. Two voices. "Release the answer. Show us how to defeat it."

"Mommy?" Now I was getting scared. I looked at the walls. Aunt Dawnie, trying to speak. Daddy, trying to break loose. Aunt Willow, her eyes turning black, still stuck. They were all trying.

"Show us." Mommy reached for my hand. I put it in hers. She was hot, burning. Like fire.

FLASH!

Aunt Dawnie, crying. Mommy, kissing her cheek, then turning. Running.

The platform.

Mommy diving off the platform, the same way she dove off before, in my dream. Plunging into the cloud of blue lightening.

FLASH!

I pulled my hand away. It felt scalded, like when I touched the pan Aunt Willow used to make cookies before it had cooled. But it wasn't my hand that was scalded. It was more like my head.

Like I'd burnt my head.

"Angie! Are you okay?" I opened my eyes, without realizing I'd ever closed them. Daddy was looking at me, concerned. "Angie, pet, how are you doing? How do you feel?"

I shrugged. The burning feeling was going away. "Okay. But Daddy, where's Mommy?" I looked around, but could only see Aunt Dawnie and the others, packing up things in bags and putting on their jackets.

Daddy's warm blue eyes turned icy. "Buffy's after the First. Only it's not her exactly, is it?" 

He looked up at Aunt Willow. "Red, you tracked Buffy?"

Aunt Willow nodded.

Daddy turned back to me and took a deep breath. Funny, considering he never did when he was sleeping. "Pet, I'm going now, okay? Be back soon. Now be a good girl and stay here with Uncle Xander."

I pouted, but knew better than to argue. "Bring Mommy back, okay, Daddy?"

Daddy smiled. A funny smile, not a happy smile. "Of course, luv. I promise."

A/N: Oooh, cliffhanger! I'm really, really evil…


	17. May 1, 2012

A/N: Please, there is a sequel. And before you read this, remember that I'm a die-hard B/S fan. Next chapter will be very long. I'm working on it right now. No flames, please! Don't forget there's a sequel!

May 1, 2012 (Kitty Diary)

Mommy's gone.

Aunt Willow says it might make me feel better if I wrote everything down, but I don't feel any better.

I think I'll write more later.

A/N: I'm really evil, huh?


	18. May 5, 2012

A/N: A final epilogue to come.

May 5, 2012 (Kitty Diary)

They said Mommy died in a car accident.

Right after everyone left Aunt Cordy and Uncle Angel came by and dropped Jesse off, then left in a rush.

No one came home Saturday night. Uncle Xander told me stories of Mommy when she was in school, and they were mostly funny. 

If I actually knew what he was talking about, or if anyone ever decided to explain. From what I could understand, Uncle Xander had a bad history of girlfriends.

When I got worried and asked about Mommy and Daddy and everybody, Uncle Xander said not to worry, that everyone has gotten through stuff like this before, and that everyone has survived worse. Then when I asked him where everyone went and why Mommy's eyes were yellow, Uncle Xander started babbling. He said something about how everyone was going to go find an old friend they haven't seen for a while, and that they might be a while.

Then he tucked me in.

And I got a really scary dream.

__

The Sunnydale High School. There it is, all gloomy-looking and empty. Except for the red light glowing around it.

Mommy walks towards it, her face still blank. Her eyes still golden.

Two cars shriek to sudden stops and people get out and slam their doors. Daddy, Aunt Dawnie, Aunt Willow, and Uncle Rupert. Uncle Angel and Aunt Cordy.

Aunt Anya was already there. 

"Buffy, don't go in there alone," she says. "If Willow isn't with you when the Hellmouth opens, the only way to close it again would be—"

Mommy waves a hand at her without a glance and Aunt Anya suddenly flies backwards a long way and crashes into a distant tree. Poor Aunt Anya. 

Mommy, why are you hurting Aunt Anya? Is this because she tried to "have sex" with Daddy, whatever that means? Please Mommy, Daddy said no.

"Buffy!" 

"Slayer, luv, stop!"

"Buffy, stop!"

"Please, Buffy!"

Mommy doesn't give them a backward glance. She vanishes into the building, and everyone tears in after her.

There are bad men here, men in black hoods and what looked like dresses. I almost laugh until I see that they have no eyes. And they have sharp, sharp knives. They start to attack Mommy.

Mommy raises her hands and again, several of those eye-less men crash into walls. She keeps walking, but more black figures replace the ones Mommy hurt, so that no one can follow.

Uncle Rupert twists away from a knife that was aimed at him and instead takes out what looks like a bow and shoots the man in the head. He doesn't see the man behind him with the big stick. Duck!

Uncle Rupert goes down. You'll be okay, won't you, Uncle Rupert?

Aunt Cordy is glowing white. She grabs several of those men, and they suddenly go to sleep.

Uncle Angel is even scarier. His face is twisted and he looks like one of those monsters Mommy always kills in my dreams. He has an ax and is cutting the heads off of the men in black dresses. Eww! And he keeps on getting punched by the men, but that doesn't slow him down.

Aunt Dawnie has a sword and she's fighting almost as good as Mommy, stabbing and cutting parts off of the bad people. She has a cut on her arm and it's bleeding! Don't be hurt, Aunt Dawnie!

This is all scary, but Aunt Willow and Daddy are the scariest. Her eyes are black and she's talking in funny words again, and there's a purple glow and a breeze around her, blowing around the room. And Daddy, Daddy looks like Uncle Angel too, but he doesn't have a weapon. He's snarling and growling, jumping all over those creepy men and biting and tearing as well as punching and kicking like all the rest. But then those men in black dresses keep on poking Daddy with their knives and he bleeds all over the place. I hope you'll be okay, Daddy. You still have to get Mommy, remember?

Then a weird thing happened. Well, weirder. Daddy stops fighting for a moment, and stares right where I was. 

"Bloody…Angie?" Daddy's face changes back to normal and he continues to stare.

Daddy, there's one behind you!

Then he blinks and moves an inch to the left, and the man with the knife trips. Daddy grabs his neck and twists. Eww, gross!

"Don't worry, I'll get Buffy." He turns to Aunt Willow. "Red, are you ready?" 

Aunt Willow nods, her eyes as black as the night. "Repulso!"

Suddenly, all the scary men in the black dresses were against the wall. Everyone starts running down the way Mommy went, all but Aunt Cordy, who stays behind to make sure Uncle Giles was okay. Thanks, Aunt Cordy.

She suddenly frowns and looks around. "What?"

I leave her and follow Aunt Willow, Daddy, Uncle Angel, and Aunt Dawnie. They run through the halls, following Aunt Willow. The breeze that she makes gets all the dust fly everywhere. So much dust.

There! A broken-down office wall. Mommy's right there, fighting better than I've ever seen before. There are many monsters, even scarier than the ones she usually fights. Their faces look almost like Daddy and Uncle Angel's, but even worse.

Much uglier and scarier.

As everyone gets there, Mommy tears the head off of the monster she was fighting. Gross! When she lets it drop, both the head and body turn to dust.

Oh. That_'s where all the dust came from._

Next to the wall still remaining is Aunt Faith. She's tied up and she looks really mad. Standing directly in the middle of what looks like the office is a pale man with a face like a bat. He looks almost like those scary monsters Mommy was turning to dust, except less scary and more stupid. He's chanting as a crack slowly opens up in the middle of the carpet on the floor. The ground is shaking.

"Buffy, the Hellmouth!" Aunt Faith is saying. But Mommy doesn't really pay much attention. She continues to fight.

Uncle Angel keeps on getting beat up by the scary monsters. Even though I didn't really like him, I don't want him to get hurt.

Daddy and Aunt Dawnie are fighting one together. As Daddy distracts him, Aunt Dawnie cuts his head off. Eww.

Aunt Willow is chanting just like the bat-faced guy inside the office. The ground stops shaking. The bat-faced man looks annoyed, then suddenly turns into a pretty lady with curly hair in a red dress. She whistles and about four of the monsters go after Aunt Willow. Aunt Willow stops chanting starts to fight them off. 

Aunt Willow, watch out!

Too late, she gets whacked hard on the head.

The pretty lady in the red dress smiles and turns back into the bat-faced man. He starts chanting again and the ground keeps on opening up. The entire place shakes. 

"Nibblet, get Faith."

Aunt Dawnie squeals as she ducks a punch and races for Aunt Faith. She hacks apart the ropes and they run back, away from the quickly crumbling walls. A large chunk of the roof falls right after they ran, cutting them off from the fight.

"Buffy, let's go!" Uncle Angel yells, turning away from the fight. "We have Faith." When he turns back, Uncle Angel also got knocked out.

Now there are only three monsters. Mommy gets two and Daddy's getting beaten up by the last one. Mommy steps up really calmly and tears his head off.

Okay then, no more monsters. Come home now, please. 

Mommy starts back toward the broken-down office. There's an earthquake, it's not safe!

Daddy grabs Mommy. "Buffy!"

Mommy stares back at him as his face changes. Her face changes, too. Her eyes are hazel again.

The ground shakes again and Mommy's knees buckle and she grabs onto Daddy before she can fall.

"Spike, what's going on?"

Daddy smiles faintly. "The First, luv. We got Faith back."

Another big shake. Some walls are collapsing. The roof is falling in. Mommy is wrapped up in Daddy and Daddy's long coat, her face on his chest. She looks up again when the ground stills for a moment. She sees the bat-faced man and pales, pushing herself away from Daddy.

"Oh God. The Hellmouth." She turns back again, her eyes wide. "The others. Dawn, Giles, Cordy? Oh God, Willow, Angel." She sees them, still asleep, luckily not hit by anything falling. "Get them out of here, Spike. I'm counting on you. Take care of Angie and Dawn."

Mommy turns and walks toward the office again. Daddy grabs her again, stopping her.

"Buffy, don't." Mommy turns back. She looks so hesitant. Stay with Daddy, Mommy. Take Uncle Angel and run.

The bat-faced man laughs. "So, Slayer. I still haven't wiped out your pathetic line. Well, not yet." The ground rumbles again. "But that doesn't really matter, does it? Once this Hellmouth opens, boy it's gonna blow. And then it's beddie-bye." He suddenly changes, turns into the woman I knew as Grandma Joyce. "What are you going to do, Buffy?"

Mommy's face hardens. "You're not_ my mother."_

Grandma Joyce looks exasperated. "So rude, Buffy. Didn't I teach you your manners?"

Mommy narrows her eyes. "Your Hellmouth isn't going to open. Never again."

Grandma Joyce smiles. "Oh, but it already did."

From the hole in the carpet, a monster rises. It's grayish-pink, bigger than the office itself as it comes up. It has three heads!

From behind, people are coming, Aunt Cordy and Uncle Rupert. Aunt Willow is awake, and already chanting under her breath. Aunt Cordy and Uncle Rupert join her. The really big monster shrieks and sinks back into the hole. The tremors stop.

But the hole is still there.

"Buffy, it's not closing!" Aunt Willow yells. "I can't hold it much longer."

Mommy nods, stares Grandma Joyce in the eyes. "There can't be two Slayers," she begins.

"Buffy, please!" Daddy grabs her again, but this time Mommy throws him off. He hits a wall, and a piece of rubble falls on him. Ouch! Are you okay, Daddy?

"Is that it?" she asks Grandma Joyce. "More than one and you get a grudge."

Grandma Joyce smiles again. "Always the bright one, huh? Honey, no wonder you got expelled so often." Expelled? Mommy?

Mommy ignores her comment. "So why the Hellmouth? What, you also want to destroy the world?"

Grandma Joyce shrugged. "Why not? At least that way the Slayer line gets destroyed, no matter what."

"Boy, you really hate Slayers."

Grandma Joyce suddenly turns into Daddy. "I'm not one for quitting. Never was. So, luv, the choice is yours. I can wipe out your little Slayer line or I can open the Hellmouth and…well, frankly, release Hell on earth. Your choice, Slayer."

Mommy gazes at him coolly, with a raised eyebrow. "How about a compromise?"

That's when Uncle Xander woke me up. There was an earthquake and we had to go down to the basement. He told me and Jesse that everything was all right, but he sounded really worried and kept glancing out the window.

Jesse and I climbed onto Daddy's bed in the basement, where he usually went during the day. Funny, I never noticed the chains on the wall right next to it before.

I didn't tell either of them my dream.

We stayed there until 3 AM. Then the earthquake suddenly stopped and Uncle Xander took us back upstairs to sleep.

When I next woke up, Aunt Dawnie was sitting nearby, her arm bandaged and in a sling. She had a cut on her face and her skin was dirty and dusty. And her eyes were red and still teary.

I asked her what was wrong and where were Mommy and Daddy?

Aunt Dawnie started crying again.

That's when Aunt Willow came in. She told me that there was an accident. Mommy got in a car accident.

And the hospital tried to save her but they couldn't do anything about it.

I said she was lying. She had to be! Mommy would never leave me and Daddy and Aunt Dawnie. She wouldn't.

I asked Aunt Dawnie if Aunt Willow was lying, but Aunt Dawnie only cried harder.

That's when I knew it was true. Mommy was gone.


	19. May 8, 2012 Epilogue

A/N: Really, really sorry! I promise things will get better, honestly! The sequel should be up.

May 8, 2012 (Kitty Diary)—Epilogue

Tonight was Mommy's memorial service. Uncle Rupert and Aunt Willow both went up to the podium and said nice things about Mommy. There were many people there, but I didn't know many of them. There was Uncle Xander, Aunt Willow, and Jesse, Aunt Anya, Uncle Rupert, Uncle Angel and Aunt Cordy, Uncle Clem, Aunt Dawnie, and Daddy, of the people I knew. Then there were lots of other people that I didn't know, including people from the high school.

I tried to talk to Daddy, but he still wouldn't talk to me. He doesn't talk to anybody.

I think something's wrong with Daddy. He didn't even make a joke when Uncle Angel's hair gel leaked all over Aunt Cordy's coat.

I want Mommy back.

Aunt Dawnie said that this will take time, that everyone's really upset about Mommy. About the "car accident." She said something about how it was hard enough to lose Mommy the first time, and then she caught herself and went to get some punch.

I don't understand what's going on. I don't even know why Mommy's gone, or why no one will tell me what happened.

I don't understand why Daddy won't talk to me.

I'm not gonna write anymore. Writing everything down doesn't make losing Mommy any easier, no matter what Aunt Willow said. 


End file.
